Laurent Vallet leaves Château Ausone for a new Muscadet estate

ill this be a case of déjà vu? After spending two decades operating Château Ausone with the Vauthier family, Laurent Vallet is taking over as transition director at Château Alauda. The new winery “was established in 2023 in the finest Muscadet sites around Clos de Beauregard in Mouzillon and Clos de la Pingossière in Vallet”, explains a press statement. After working first as head viticulturist then as head of vineyards for the Vauthier family, Vallet managed their transition from organic to biodynamic.

Vallet is in fact returning to his homeland and his roots to take charge of the 33 hectares of vineyards belonging to the winery founded in 2023 by Philippe Feitussi, Jo Pithon and Géraldine Tridon. “I’m going out on a limb with a grape variety that I’m not yet familiar with but I’m on home ground and I’m fortunate to be bringing a certain amount of experience with me, as well as fresh eyes and the enthusiasm of a newcomer. I’ve got all my friends in the region and a desire to embrace a collective spirit”, says the transition director whose “surname is Vallet, the capital of Muscadet, which is next to Clos de la Pingossière at Domaine Alauda”, adds the statement.

Vallet’s return to the area also has a sentimental side because “Laurent Vallet’s mother worked on this land and his godfather, who is now retired, was cellar master for the previous owners”.

The new director will be overseeing the property’s switch to organic and biodynamic farming and will build upon the transition begun by the winery’s creators: “A terroir approach showcasing Muscadet ‘crus’ and named vineyard sites, inspired by the Burgundy model that promotes biodynamic winegrowing and lengthy maturation”, concludes the press statement.